Clete Johnson: “I support an assault weapons ban because, very simply, I believe that it will save lives. Let me be clear--it will not…”

“I support an assault weapons ban because, very simply, I believe that it will save lives. Let me be clear--it will not reduce crime in America. Hopefully, the tough measures in the Crime bill will do that. But what this bill will do is reduce the number of victims of violent crime. This measure simply saves lives. The most important thing it does is to ban large-capacity clips like those used in the recent California schoolyard and New York commuter train killings in which dozens of people died. In fact, the madman in New York was subdued only when he stopped to reload. We can't stop these sick individuals from getting guns, but what we can do is make it harder for them to get weapons equipped to fire dozens of shots without reloading. This is the real effect of this legislation. I have heard from a lot of my constituents on this issue. Some of them supported the ban; others didn't. I talked to police officers who said they wanted to maintain their ability to get these kinds of weapons for protecting the public. This bill allows them to do that. I heard from hunters and sportsmen who told me of the guns they use for those pastimes. This bill protects 650 specific weapons that they use. I have also heard from people who cannot understand what legitimate purpose guns that fire 150 rounds without reloading can possibly serve. I do not vote for much gun control legislation.…”